Recent work on the paleolithic of Central Asia

Central Asia has played an important role in Paleolithic archeology since t he discovery of Teshik-Tash in 1938. Since the 1970s, attention has turned to Lower Paleolithic studies following the important discoveries at Kul'dar a and other deeply stratified loess sites in southern Tajikistan. The sites , dated to as early as 800,000 years ago, are not the earliest evidence of hominids in Asia, but they do reflect early adaptations to arid mid-latitud e environments. The stone-tool industries from these early sites are compos ed of pebble and flake implements; they do not include bifaces. Along with the archeological material in the loess is an impressive paleoenvironmental record with good chronological control. In other parts of Central Asia, th ere are reported elements of the Acheulean technocomplex at sites such as S el'ungur and Yangadazha, but that claim cannot be substantiated. In the Upp er Pleistocene, important research questions include the extent and meaning of Middle Paleolithic variability, the relation of Middle to Upper Paleoli thic cultures, and the effect of glacial or interglacial climatic oscillati ons on Paleolithic settlement and adaptation.